ANT-MAN AND THE WASP: QUANTUMANIA

US, 2022, 124 minutes, Colour.

Paul Rudd, Jonathan Majors, Evangeline Lilly, Kathryn Newton, Michael Douglas, Michelle Pfeiffer, Corey Stoll, Bill Murray, Katy O'Brien, William Jackson Harper, Randall Park, David Dasmalchian

Directed by Peyton Reed.

Ant-Man’s alter ego, Scott Lang, asks throughout the film about the world being taken seriously. He gets his answer and this third episode in the ant man franchise. It is taken seriously – and, sometimes, it isn’t. And, once again, is played by Paul Rudd, always a pleasant and genial presence.

Here we are back in the Marvel Universe, the Ant-Man, going into the other world to fight the good fight. At the opening of this film, is cheerfully walking along San Francisco’s streets with the song in the background, “welcome back…”, Everybody greeting him as a celebrity cause is save the world! We have to do so again?

And we meet his family, Michael Douglas back again as Hank, the scientist who developed miniaturisation and contact with ants, his daughter Hope, The Wasp scientist, Evangeline Lilly. And, their daughter, Cassie (Kathryn Newton) is now more than a precocious teenager. She has continued the family experiments, has constructed an armour suit for herself, but also a top-class machine for surveying the Quantum world. She wants to press the button to inaugurate action – but is warned against it by Janet, Michelle Pfeiffer, who, we know, spent 30 years in the Quantum world before returning to her family.

And, just in case, there is a prologue when Janet encounters Kang (Jonathan Majors is a powerful presence, a powerful villain), helps, fights against, betrays him and escapes this subterranean world.

With Cassie pressing the button, the whole family has to go into the subterranean world – an extraordinary creation, visually, with a myriad of creatures that would put some of the Star Wars collection to shame! In fact, this looks like a very high budget special effects creation with action sequences and stunts to match.

Looking back, the events are predictable enough, all the members of the family having the opportunity to show their talents – even to Scott going into a world of probabilities, other Scotts emerging, thousands, millions, a huge tower of Pisa of Scotts! The doctor summons help from his ants. Hope becomes The Wasp and intervenes. Cassie shows her courage. And Janet has to confront Kang all over again.

And there is an interlude with Bill Murray is a Lord of the Quantum World, full of his kind of repartee and nonchalant acting style – but rather is relevant to the whole adventure.

Compared with some of the Marvel adventures, this is rather low-key, but designed for the very wide younger audience.

1. Marvel Universe? The comics from the 1960s? The later development in the film catalogue? Connections with Captain America, The Avengers? The popularity of Ant-Man? The Wasp?
2. The third in the series, popularity with audiences, the character of Scott Lang, the character of Hope? The background of the doctor and his associates, experiments, miniaturising humans? The previous adventures? The back story of Janet, 30 years away, her return – and the opening sequence indicating her initial encounter with Kang?
3. The introduction to this story, Scott and his voice-over, carefree, everybody greeting him in the street, having saved the world, celebrity, his autobiography, the reading, the audience and applause? His relationship with Hank, with Janet, with Hope, with Cassie, her now grown-up? The possibility further adventures?
4. Cassie, precocious, and experiments, developing her own suit, the machine, its capacities for exploring the Quantum world, her pressing the button, Janet upset, the consequences?
5. The special effects and visuals of the Quantum earth, the range of characters, masks, unusual creatures, the semi-humans, the terrain, the vast, an empire, modern, yet Kang’s rule, the rebellion, the experience of the multi-verse? Atmosphere, action and stunts, the musical score?
6. Janet, key to this story, her 30 years away, the experience of Kang? Saving him, the bond, his turning against her, the war, her attempt to destroy him, her return to Earth? Her not revealing this story to the family? Her quest, to find Kang, to destroy him?
7. The arrival in the Quantum world, Cassie and Scott, separated from the others, their encounter with all the creatures, the creature with no holes, the warrior leader, the mind reader, drinking the ooze and everybody able to understand English!
8. The interlude of the Bill Murray character, not exactly the Marvel Universe, typical Murray, repartee, in the context of this world, his leadership, discovering human aspects?
9. Darren, his role in the past, greed, betrayal, Kang using him, his being reduced, the face within the helmet, mechanical legs, his voice? His confronting Scott? Memories of the past? Working against Scott and Cassie? Cassie eventually confronting him, a dick? Injuries, confrontation with Kang, change of heart, wanting to do good, dying happy?
10. Scott, the ability to reduce, be gigantic, fighting with Kang? The capture of Cassie? The other group, being captured, Janet going on her own, to find Kang, to confront him? Hope and the doctor? The vehicle, the doctor driving, the sleeves? The movement around this world?

11. The doctor, hearing the ant sounds, summoning them secretly, their coming in to swarm, allies?
12. Kang, as the villain, as a personality, in the introduction, the conflict with Janet, his role in the underworld, the multiple Kangs, the multi-verse, his being the conqueror, the various henchman, warriors, the going into action? His ambitions? Wanting the core of the centre, to enable him to achieve absolute power? Janet and her thwarting him, the fights between them?
13. Cassie, liberating the warrior, the call to Revolution, Kang on the screen, Cassie then appearing on the screen, her appeal,, the rebels? The action fights? The creature with holes, seven holes? Kang, his warriors, weapons, turning the rebels back?
14. The buildup to the confrontation between Scott and Kang, the probabilities, the other Scots, even Baskin’s, the multiple replicas, the huge tower of replicas, its collapse? Scott tall, reduced, tactics? The final confrontation?
15. Hope, becoming The Wasp, allied with Scott?
16. Cassie, the final heroics? The family all united?
17. Going into the machine to get back to the world, Scott delayed with Kang, the confrontation, Kang wanting to get into the vehicle? The final rescue by Hope?
18. The return to the world, ordinary, Scott and his celebrity?
19. The final credits, the focus is on Kang rather than on Ant Man and the Wasp? Indications of sinister adventures for the future?